tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5733542395194695896.post3179477808960796917..comments2023-10-30T17:20:29.218+00:00Comments on HEART OF BALANCE: Montfort College Romsey: Going back to my old Schoolheartofbalancehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18427269778599802068noreply@blogger.comBlogger90125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5733542395194695896.post-49437750874195973932023-10-24T15:01:53.301+00:002023-10-24T15:01:53.301+00:00I am sorry that we share the experience of the Dow...I am sorry that we share the experience of the Downeys. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5733542395194695896.post-49122866615493981072023-10-21T08:39:58.808+00:002023-10-21T08:39:58.808+00:00I'm very sorry to hear your story Southampton ...I'm very sorry to hear your story Southampton Girl. I also understand your deep rage and that's perfectly natural. If you need support there are lots of therapists and counsellors out there easily contactable via Google. Therapy was an important part of my journey to healing and I couldn't recommend it strongly enough. I hope and trust you have found happiness and fulfillment in your life at this point. If you need more details of support let me know via the blog. Thank you so much for your comment-it takes a lot of courage to do that.Tony Dnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5733542395194695896.post-23319026218103419722023-10-05T12:45:43.764+00:002023-10-05T12:45:43.764+00:00I'm very late to this site but am glad to hear...I'm very late to this site but am glad to hear that Brother Bernard was eventually caught and imprisoned. When I was 8 or 9, he would touch me inappropriately whenever he got the chance. He would visit my home to deliver eggs from his chickens, always with lots of sweets so we were kind of pleased to see him - now I know that as grooming of potential victims. He would always visit at a time of day when my mum would be in the kitchen cooking dinner and he'd be left alone with me and my siblings. A horrendous betrayal of my mum's trust - and he stayed for dinner! I knew that I wouldn't be believed if I said anything, and would likely have been punished. It helps me to now see him as Vincent Downey sex offender, rather than Brother Bernard the supposedly religious man regarded at the time as almost sacred. If there's a hell, I hope he's rotting there. Southampton Girlnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5733542395194695896.post-53266084527551455062023-09-06T06:53:07.951+00:002023-09-06T06:53:07.951+00:00I was at Montfort College until the Summer of 76 w...I was at Montfort College until the Summer of 76 when I then left age 15. Wondering if anyone knows of a student probably 6th former then called "Mitch"? If he's about I'd rather like to get in touch. Anyhow, I don't really recognise any of the negativity referred to here and certainly knew nothing of any theft from a gun shop - Maybe I spent too much time with my head in the clouds! My there was mostly happy and the priests didn't really bother me (other than shooting me!) and I remember at weekends often going to Southampton to see the liners, something that in more recent years led me to take trips on the QM2. I did once 'sto-away' onto the Canberra and have a look around the ship, rather surprising achievement in hindsight. I remember one youngish Brother with dark curly hair who used to hang-out with us in our common-room at end of corridoor just before the large Hall, and he was friendly, but mostly the priests I found rather remote. I have no memory of my academic time there but I do have memories of how I lived and I guess it was a fairly decent time for me, even though I didn't then go on to become a priest. Dominicdominicnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5733542395194695896.post-26855693676971536062023-07-17T12:02:47.727+00:002023-07-17T12:02:47.727+00:00Never saw or heard of any abuse. Was there as stud...Never saw or heard of any abuse. Was there as student from 72-77. Heartfelt sorrow for anyone who did. Fr Flynn was a great guy. All best sirAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5733542395194695896.post-37863537039171425402023-07-17T09:20:34.886+00:002023-07-17T09:20:34.886+00:00How could we forget her
How could we forget her <br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5733542395194695896.post-62806729752166783472023-07-17T09:18:32.966+00:002023-07-17T09:18:32.966+00:00J Harvey thank you for the information. Seems Er...J Harvey thank you for the information. Seems Erskine had his own demonsAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5733542395194695896.post-91101190074612777622023-07-17T01:13:45.005+00:002023-07-17T01:13:45.005+00:00Indeed. Nightmares Indeed. Nightmares Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5733542395194695896.post-75856301768627022362023-07-17T01:04:16.994+00:002023-07-17T01:04:16.994+00:00Was there any charges pressed or formal complaints...Was there any charges pressed or formal complaints made to against father samuel ersmine Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5733542395194695896.post-64022067478168382282023-05-15T10:24:05.035+00:002023-05-15T10:24:05.035+00:00Dear ALL, I was with the SMMs from 1958 to 1973. ...Dear ALL, I was with the SMMs from 1958 to 1973. I went to MC, novitiate, Church Stretton and Heythrop College. I am so sorry that abuse happened at MC. I wasn't aware of such behaviour. Intimacy seemed taboo when I was there. I left the Order because of personal issues but have been back to MC but it was redeveloped into apartments. I think the only survivors of the English province are myself and Kieran Flynn.MikeLnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5733542395194695896.post-43000997833603604352022-10-01T12:44:17.185+00:002022-10-01T12:44:17.185+00:00Sister Eugiene was a fearsome woman tbhSister Eugiene was a fearsome woman tbhAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5733542395194695896.post-23152995873760885172022-09-13T09:53:50.969+00:002022-09-13T09:53:50.969+00:00Does any one remember the nuns that were aquatinte...Does any one remember the nuns that were aquatinted with the priests? Especially father Samuel Erskine!<br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5733542395194695896.post-42543918939865760172020-07-26T15:25:30.109+00:002020-07-26T15:25:30.109+00:00was it all really that bad ?was it all really that bad ?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5733542395194695896.post-3975077040087296642020-02-10T23:33:19.470+00:002020-02-10T23:33:19.470+00:00Both fr james Downey and br Bernard came to stay i...Both fr james Downey and br Bernard came to stay in my house as a young child.. Me a girl and my brother were about 8 and 10 yrs old..this must hv been about 1974 ish . My parents were both from NI. And had moved to the UK in the 60's.. The brothers came over with a young woman in her30s who was an unmarried mother she stayed in are house for 9 mths until she had her baby and then eventually went back to Ireland.. All very strange looking back I didn't really understand why she was staying with us.. We were made to go with are parents to Ashurst and br Bernard would put his hands down my pants to touch my bottom when I was sitting in the back seat of the car with my parents driving.. He also made me play the piano at Ashurst and wld try to kiss me.over and over again. This happened several times I remember it was utterly disgusting.. I Had no clue what was going on.. And one day my frd came with me for the day and I saw him bending her over a table and making all the actions of sexual content..my frd knew I had seen them.. But we never spoke about it in the car going home.. The whole thing was very scary and I knew something was wrong but we never told a soul...for some reason he wld send me letters in the post.. I remember br Bernard rang me on my wedding day in 1985.. And that was the first time I realised this is a very dangerous man.. Never spoke or seen him again in my life thank god..Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5733542395194695896.post-52706505837894352402019-09-22T00:43:41.495+00:002019-09-22T00:43:41.495+00:00Tony, I apologize for my original comment. I know ...Tony, I apologize for my original comment. I know you and I were never mates at Montfort college which was daft considering we had lived about 14 miles apart for most of our lives. Montfort college was a nightmare that no parent should have allowed their son's to dwell in. I challenged everything they said and made us do in my mind which I believe is what kept me sane! By today's standards many of those Priests would have been arrested and charged for assault (you may not remember the amount of times I received the strap on every Bookings Thursday night)! I do remember though...and a sincere thank you to you, one afternoon we were snooping around the third floor (where the Priests and Brothers rooms were) and whilst I was in one room Fr. Erskine caught you in another room. He demanded to know if you were alone and you refused to say I was there with you and he gave you the strap and you never told on me. That was a courageous 12 year old and I was so impressed at you for that! Years later I was a Jnr. Director for a multi national furniture company. One day whilst at the Preston Branch I ended up talking ro three lady customers. One stated that her son had been to a seminary but left and practically had a nervous breakdown as a result. In particular one Priest who she divulged as Sam Erskine was the major cause. I believe we at Montfort college who did survive did so with flying colours Tony. J. Harveyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04230803482694060898noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5733542395194695896.post-17672860947959115972019-08-08T19:31:40.202+00:002019-08-08T19:31:40.202+00:00can we still comment ?can we still comment ?Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16091810022063608464noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5733542395194695896.post-17157806307037621792019-04-09T15:38:17.005+00:002019-04-09T15:38:17.005+00:00Congratulations to all of the participants of this...Congratulations to all of the participants of this program. <a href="https://www.themayoschool.com/junior/" rel="nofollow">mayo international school fees structure</a> I bet they learned a lot from the project. This will help me for a school project. Keep the posts coming.logicaldothttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13131293394139147806noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5733542395194695896.post-78369962465849081502019-02-17T07:17:37.653+00:002019-02-17T07:17:37.653+00:00I remember Fr "Fred" well and fondly too...I remember Fr "Fred" well and fondly too. The last time we met was at my mothersm funeral at his erstwhile parish in Gateacre, whete at that time my brother Bill (Fr Bill Jenkinson) was parish priest although he himself passed away mere days later.<br />I only attended the college for a couple of years and I never experienced anything untoward from any of the religious there.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00900543064545870640noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5733542395194695896.post-16030009351222427102018-09-29T18:02:13.941+00:002018-09-29T18:02:13.941+00:00So went back to Montfort College today. Memories c...So went back to Montfort College today. Memories came flooding back. Now massive housing block. No sports field or concrete area for footie/cricket. Building still impressive but chapel now homes!! Good luck to all who passed through doors. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18324330573507869034noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5733542395194695896.post-35716177670538574622017-10-12T00:24:00.615+00:002017-10-12T00:24:00.615+00:00Ha,ha,ha, but hardly the stuff of Oscar Wilde. Pau...Ha,ha,ha, but hardly the stuff of Oscar Wilde. Paul Mullarkey, Widnes, Cheshire(formerly Lancashire) WA8 7PP.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5733542395194695896.post-52573965056582472882017-10-10T22:28:50.801+00:002017-10-10T22:28:50.801+00:00Mullarkey? Really? Rarely can name and character...Mullarkey? Really? Rarely can name and character have been so artfully married!<br /><br />TD<br /><br />heartofbalancehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18427269778599802068noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5733542395194695896.post-6589820475124492372017-10-09T18:52:49.092+00:002017-10-09T18:52:49.092+00:00Lol, you don't reply to anonymous posts. You a...Lol, you don't reply to anonymous posts. You are a cunt. Paul Mullarkey, Widnes, Cheshire. WA87PP. Have that!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5733542395194695896.post-46819835313908571392017-10-09T16:28:34.012+00:002017-10-09T16:28:34.012+00:00Much respected Tony. Thanks. I will leave it at th...Much respected Tony. Thanks. I will leave it at that then. Sometimes life is hard to go ahead wen so much of r past continunes in r heads. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5733542395194695896.post-29900564511216850622017-10-06T11:59:43.035+00:002017-10-06T11:59:43.035+00:00Ok there are a couple of things to clarify.
Firstl...Ok there are a couple of things to clarify.<br />Firstly I don't reply to anonymous comments-period. I'm making a one-off exception here.<br />Secondly this topic is exhausted. I have no further interest in it. My original post led to a number of people disclosing various forms of abuse-some are published-some are not. I was more than willing to offer these people any support I could so the various comments have gone on and on. However the survivors have moved on and this seems to have devolved into some specious untangling of Montfort College minutiae.<br />I do not intend to post anything about Sam Erskine or anyone else from that time. Whatever your engagement with what this particular priest did or didn't do to you, I can assure you my comment would have no relevance and emphasise it was really quite trivial to anyone else but me.<br />On reflection I decided to leave the topic alone some time ago but these anonymous comments have continued and have also become increasingly personalised and occasionally offensive. I have nothing further to add.<br />I hope those who disclosed on this segment have found support and recovery and health and I hope that all the ex-students who have commented find peace, happiness and success in life. Some of it has been interesting-most of it hasn't-but if people have made some good contacts through this little post then I'm happy for them.<br />For me, as I see the World go to hell in a basket, I think we should look forward to mending the possible future, not backwards, not deriving obscure meaning from something rather sad (for me anyway) that occurred in a strange Hampshire village fifty years ago.<br />Good luck!heartofbalancehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18427269778599802068noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5733542395194695896.post-41389271107613271342017-10-06T11:33:05.183+00:002017-10-06T11:33:05.183+00:00TONY D!! YOU SAID YOU CLOSED THIS TOPIC BUT YOU ...TONY D!! YOU SAID YOU CLOSED THIS TOPIC BUT YOU ALSO SAID<br />PS: I have an interesting final confrontation story regarding Sam Erskine-maybe I'll post it here sometime?<br /><br />LETS HEAR IT PLEASE!!<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com